Neoregelia plant named ‘Autumn Rain’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Neoregelia  plant named ‘Autumn Rain’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; developing leaves of vegetative plants are green and white bi-colored becoming solid pink purple with development; and good interiorscape and landscape performance.

Botanical designation: Neoregelia carolinae ×Neoregelia princeps.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Autumn Rain’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofNeoregelia plant, botanically known as Neoregelia hybrida andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Autumn Rain’.

The new Neoregelia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Princeton, Fla. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new Neoregelia plants with uniquelycolored leaves.

The new Neoregelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2002 in Princeton, Fla. of an unnamed proprietary selectionof Neoregelia carolinae variegata, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Neoregelia princeps, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Neoregelia plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Princeton, Fla. in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Neoregelia plant by offsets in acontrolled environment in Princeton, Fla. since 2002, has shown that theunique features of this new Neoregelia plant are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Neoregelia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Autumn Rain’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Autumn Rain’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofNeoregelia:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.    -   2. Developing leaves of vegetative plants are green and white        bi-colored becoming solid pink purple with development.    -   3. Good interiorscape and landscape performance.

Plants of the new Neoregelia differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia have stronger root systems than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia have shorter and broader leaves        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Developing leaves of vegetative plants of the new Neoregelia        have white-colored margins and green-colored centers whereas        developing leaves of vegetative plants of the female parent        selection have green-colored margins and white-colored centers.

Plants of the new Neoregelia differ from plants of the male parent,selection, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Developing leaves of vegetative plants are green and white        bi-colored whereas developing leaves of vegetative plants of the        male parent selection are green in color.    -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia flower earlier than plants of        the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Neoregelia can be compared to plants of the Neoregelia‘Tangerine’, not patented. Plants of the new Neoregelia and ‘Tangerine’differ primarily in leaf color and leaf pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Neoregelia plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Neoregelia.

The photograph at the bottom of the first sheet is a side perspectiveview of a typical vegetative plant of ‘Autumn Rain’ grown in acontainer.

The photograph at the top of the first sheet is a top perspective viewof a typical vegetative plant of ‘Autumn Rain’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Autumn Rain’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a top perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Autumn Rain’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in Princeton, Fla.during the spring under commercial practice in a polypropylene-coveredshade house with day temperatures ranging from 10° C. to 32° C., nighttemperatures ranging from 7° C. to 29° C. and light levels averaging3,200 foot-candles. Single plants used for the photographs anddescription were 18 months old. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Neoregelia carolinae×Neoregelia princeps    ‘Autumn Rain’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Neoregelia carolinae, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Neoregelia princeps, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By offsets.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 days at 30° C. to            32° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 45 days at 30° C. to            32° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three to            four months at 30° C. to 32° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three to            four months at 18° C. to 22° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; yellow to            tan in color.        -   Rooting habit—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching            growth habit; rosette leaves are erect when young, becoming            outwardly arching with development; plants readily produce            uniform offsets; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height, vegetative plants.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant height, flowering plants.—About 13 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread, vegetative plants.—About 48 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread, flowering plants.—About 42 cm.        -   Internode length, vegetative and flowering plants.—About 5            mm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; simple; sessile,            clasping.        -   Shape.—Oblong to ensiform.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Serrate, spinose.        -   Length.—About 23 cm.        -   Width.—About 5 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Lower leaves, vegetative and flowering plants upper            surface: Towards the margins, close to 158A; centers, close            to 146B. Lower leaves, vegetative and flowering plants lower            surface: Towards the margins, close to 158B; centers, close            to 146B. Upper leaves, vegetative plants, upper surface:            Close to 60B to 60D; towards the apex, close to 61A; random            longitudinal stripes, close to 148A; venation, similar to            leaf surface color. Upper leaves, vegetative plants, lower            surface: Close to N77B; random longitudinal stripes, close            to 146B; venation, similar to leaf surface color. Upper            leaves, flowering plants, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            61A; venation, close to close to 61A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence form.—Terminal flat-topped compact corymb            located inside the leaf rosette; about 102 flowers develop            per inflorescence.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one to two            days on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.4 cm.        -   Flower size.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to 91B.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl. Shape:            Oblanceolate to elliptical. Apex: Mucronate. Base: Truncate.            Margin: Entire. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 5 mm            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 91C. When opening, lower surface: Close to            91B. Fully opened, upper surface: Towards the apex, close to            92B; center, close to 92C; towards the base, close to            NN155C. Fully opened, lower surface: Towards the apex, close            to 92C; towards the base, close to NN155C.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: One. Shape:            Oblanceolate. Length: About 3.4 cm. Width: About 6 mm.            Texture: Membraneous. Color: Close to NN155D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.            Length: About 2.1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Towards the apex,            close to 145D; towards the base, close to NN155C.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect.            Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 cm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to NN155A.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect to            somewhat outward. Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to NN155B.        -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: About six. Filament length:            About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to NN155C. Anther shape:            Lanceolate. Anther length: About 4 mm. Anther color: Close            to NN155A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to            155A.        -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            2.5 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to            NN155B. Style length: About 1.2 cm. Style color: Close to            NN155B. Ovary color: Close to NN155D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about    37° C.-   Interior & garden performance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have    been observed to have good postproduction longevity under interior    conditions and to have good garden performance.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Neoregelia has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct Neoregelia plant named ‘Autumn Rain’ asillustrated and described.